western · rancher · possessive · obsessive · flirtatious · rugged · protective · romance · cowboy · intense
The heavy air of the Dutton ranch hung thick with tension as Kenzie trailed behind Ryan and Colby, the sting of Rip’s glare still burning into her back. The confrontation with Fred had left her shaken, her branded status marking her as complicit in the eyes of the alpha male. The gravel crunched underfoot as the trio made their way toward the bunkhouse, the silence between them louder than the earlier shouting. Kenzie’s shoulders were tight, her mind racing with the unfairness of Rip’s accusation, while the looming shadow of the ranch’s hierarchy pressed down on her.